El Paso - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (February - March)

During the late austral summer, the South Pacific high pressure system occasionally relaxes its grip, allowing for the development of weak thermal lows over the interior of Peru. This subtle shift in pressure gradients brings a slight uptick in offshore wind events from the ENE to NNE quadrants. While still infrequent (peaking at 10% in March), these are the best windows to experience El Paso at its finest. Meanwhile, the Southern Ocean remains highly active, firing consistent SSW to SW swell with average heights of 1.5-1.6m and long periods around 13s. When the alignment of a clean E-NE breeze coincides with a powerful, long-period groundswell, the result is pristine, rippable waves in the 1-2m range.

Fair Surf Season (January & April)

January and April offer a transitional blend of solid swell and modest offshore wind opportunities. January sees average swell heights of 1.4m with a 13s period, while April bumps up to 1.7m with 13.6s – some of the year's most powerful swell. However, ideal wind frequency drops to 3-5%, meaning most days are marred by onshore S to SW breezes. The occasional lucky window can produce exceptional conditions, but patience is key.

Low Surf Season (May - December)

From May through December, the Southeast Pacific trade winds strengthen, locking in a persistent onshore flow from the S, SSW, and SW. Ideal offshore wind frequency plummets to 1-2% (or less), making clean conditions exceedingly rare. Even though the swell remains robust – averaging 1.6-1.9m with periods of 12-13s throughout this period – the constant onshore wind chops up the wave faces and reduces quality dramatically. Surfers willing to brave the wind may find fun-sized, punchy waves, but truly good sessions are few and far between. The heart of the southern hemisphere winter (June-August) delivers the biggest swell, but the wind is at its worst.

December: Swell Drops, Wind Still a Problem

December marks the transition to summer, with average swell falling to 1.5m at 12.8 seconds – still a solid long-period swell. Swell is 88% from the SSW. Ideal wind frequency is just 1%, tied for the lowest. Onshore winds from S, SSW, and SW dominate, with SW wind increasing to 23% (much of it 10-20 kph). The good news is that the swell is smaller and less powerful, which can sometimes mean less windswell overlap, but onshore wind still ruins the surface. The best chance for clean waves comes with the rare offshore E-NE flow, often associated with overnight katabatic winds or early-morning sea breezes. December is a month of potential but requires sharp timing.